Bicycle mechanism



Dec. 9, 1930.

A. DEVITO BICYCLE MECHANISM Filed Sept; 24. 1928 Patented Dec. 9, 1930 ANTONIO nnvr'ro, or ROOKLYN; new YORK BICYCLE MECHANISM Application filed September 24, 1928. Serial No; 308,088.

This invention relates to bicycles and more particularly to the driving mechanism whereby the rear ground 'wheel. may be driven through a system of pedal operated gearing. v

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a system of gearing in a bicycle mechanism in which power may be communicated to a drivewheel and the speed controlled by a series of shift levers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a gearing mechanism for bicycles including a system of sprocket and chain drives from a main foot operated sprocket for driving a pair of fly wheels associated with the rear ground whee-l so that the mechanism may continue to operate for a long period of time upon asingle rotation of the main sprocket. I

To enable others skilled in the art to more fully understand the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawingwherein Fig. 1 is a side view;

' Fig; 2 is a plan taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. a i

, Fig. 3 is a detail of a foot brake;

Fig. dis a detail of a part of the reciprocating mechanism for operatingthe rear wheels.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the main bicycle frame having a front fork B and rear fork C supporting the front steering wheel and rear ground wheelD,E respectively. A pivoted cross bar F provided 7 with handles is connected to a-second pivoted cross bar F on the upper end of the fork B by means of lines G whereby the I front steering wheel maybe operated. The

rear ground wheel E is mounted 'on a shaft E which also supports an under slung platform H. i v V V 1 The main frame is provided with a sprocket 1 operated by foot pedals la'which drives a smallsprocket 2 on a sprocket shaft 2a by means of a sprocket chain2b The shaft 2a has keyed thereto outside sprockets 3 which drive stub shafts 4a through sprocket chains 4?). The stub shafts 4a are each provided with a disk 5 located on each side of the rear ground wheel E. V

Connected to each of the disks 5 is a recip rocating rod 5a having a front pivoted lever 6a'cooperating with a toothed wheel 7a on a shaft 77). The wheels 7a are each equipped with pins cooperating with the notched end 8a of the pivoted lever 6a so as to rotate the wheels 7a and the shaft counter-clockwise.

The shaft 71). carries a gear that meshes with a lower, Smaller gear 6, and also a sprocket 7 0 that drives a sprocket 7d by a sprocket chain, the sprocket being on a shaft 76. On the shaft 76 is a sprocket 7 that drives sprocket 9 on shaft 9a by a sprocket chain 9?). Asprocket 10 on shaft 9a drives a small sprocket 11 by a sprocket chain 11a. The small sprocket 11 ismounted on thesame shaft with a larger sprocket 12 which drives sprocket 13 by a sprocket chain 13a. The sprocket 13 is mounted on the same shaft with a larger sprocket 1% which drives 70 sprockets 15, 16, 17 and 18 through similar sprocket chains. The sprocket 18 communicates its power to a bottom sprocket 19 by a sprocket chain 19a and which drives sprockets 20,21 and 22, the sprockets 22 driving a large flywheel 23. v

The operation of the disks and energy imparted to the fly wheels through the sprocket and chain mechanism permits the rear wheel to be rotated for a long period of time with. 39 a single rotation of the foot pedals. The mechanism also provides for a notched rack bar 25 having a depending rod 26 pivotallyv connected thereto at one end, said rod being pivotally connected as at 27 to a foot brake 28 cooperating with a belt 29. A shift arm 30 cooperates with the notched rack bar and is adapted to actuate a shift roller 31 to corn trol the speed of the belt passing over roller 8. A second shift arm 32 cooperates with and controls the speed of the belt 19a passingover roller 18. The shaft arms are adapted to be successively brought into engagement with or out of engagement with the belts to control the speed of the gearing.

While I have shown and described my invention with some degree of particularity, it will be realized that other modifications and changes may be resorted to under special ,3" conditions. I therefore do not wish to be limited and restrictedto the exact details shown and described but reserve the right to i make such changes and modifications asmay I fairly fall within the scope of the subject 5 matter now being claimed. A Having shown and described niyinvention, "what I claim as newand desire to secur'eby Letters P ifi tisp 1.111 aLbicyCle having frontand rear sup- 30 porting wheels, a sprocket, a train of caring operablefroni the sprocket, epeir o iota, a

disks on each side of the rear wheel driven by said gearing, apair ofieciprooating 1.70.68 i

connected to the disks, andfly Wheels located outside the said disks inclnding'gearing ior j voperating the some and maintain the bicycle in'motion. 21in a bicycle having front end rear snpporting wheels, a pedal operated sprocket, a, trainof gearingo ,er' ebl'e h omthe'sprocket,

a pair of rotary Sisks'onieach'slidel of the rear" wheel driven by said gearing; reciprd v catingrods connected oto the disks, and fly f wheels locatec l'outside'the said disks incl'nd- 25 in gearing for operetii'ig the sametoimlin- 7 mm the bicycle in motion and a series of I shift levers for controlling the speed of s ar o A V 3.1.111 a bicycle having a fre me and front i i "an and rear supporting wheels, a suspended k latform carried by the frame, epedel op- T Y 3 erated sprocket, a trainfo-f'gearing supported o y the P a f d e ereb byi ie pm ke a gait of rotery v disks on each side of the rear 5 w eel,- said' diSoks being driven by. the said gearing; a, iir'fofgreciprcoating rods connect, a ed to the disks and alternately driven there-T 'by, "a pair of large fly wheels located outside 7 I 7 the'disks'and' moiinted in a planeabove the 40 disks and rear 'wheel'for maintaining the rear wheel in motion, and shift levers for controlling the speed of said gearing. 7 l I In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

I ANTONIO DEVITO. 

